74. Ep April
Ep April
“Why don’t we just move here?” I lean back under the hot Italian sun and readjust the tiny beach pillow under my head.
“You know I’d go stir crazy without a mountain to hide on.” Ford turns over, readjusting his crotch before settling against the towel. His broad back glistens with tattoos that melt into his tanned skin.
“But all the hustle on the ranch, if they really do expand to that second location, it would make things so much busier for you.” I roll to my side, unable to resist tracing his newest ink.
My name, followed by our two babies. I love that there’s room underneath. Just. In. Case.
“Remember that big fuck-up last winter with the trucks and loading? Won’t it get even worse with another fifty thousand acres to keep track of? It made you grumpy.” I lean closer, brushing my lips over the dark marks as my palm drifts down his side.
“Frosty, I’m always grumpy,” he chuckles. “Unless I’m folding you in half, everything else irritates me.” His white teeth flash under his sunglasses when he lifts the corner of his Stetson to look at me.
But then his lip droops at the corner. “Do you want to leave Black Gulch?”
I can feel those gray eyes through the tinted lenses.
I know the history they carry in their stormy gaze.
“No. I just notice that you seem happier when you’re here.” I push another kiss against his shoulder. “That’s all I want.”
He lets out a long exhale, then rolls, pulling me to him until our sweaty sun-soaked skin adheres.
“I’m here with you. And for a while I can dump all of my worries and bullshit in my head on the ranch.
It’s easier to be grumpy about stuff I have control over than the stuff I don’t.
But I need that outlet. Otherwise, I’d get pissy here too, for no reason.
Just because I hate the man I used to be and that’d be all I have to think about. ”
“Well, we don’t want that. I mean, it’s not like you can fold me in half all the time.” I wiggle against him, feeling his barbells press against my belly.
“True. At least at the ranch we have people we trust to watch the kids. And…they’ve offered me stake in the new additions if we stay.” His brows raise even as his palms lower to grind my hips against his.
“So we’d be part owners?” I blink at him in surprise. I never expected them to offer that. The McCulloughs have always been family, but this feels so much bigger.
“We would.” He lifts his head to nibble on my chin. “I want our kids to know what it’s like to belong. It’s something I always struggled with.” He tucks a lock of my hair behind my ear, his thumb lingering over my jaw.
I bite my lip against the surge of emotion. “Me too.” I admit. “Me too.”